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Public Research Organizations in Spain

Public Research Organisations (PRO or OPIs for its initials in Spanish) are national and public research institutions that, together with universities, form the basic core of the Spanish public system of scientific research and technological development in Spain, since they carry out most of the activities programmed in the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation.

PRO are regulated by the Law 14/2011 from June 1st of Science, Technology and Innovation which recognizes as such eight research centres in Spain:

Currently, CSIC, CIEMAT, IGME, IEO, INIA and ISCIII are attached to the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness through the State Secretariat for Research, Development and Innovation. Only INTA is attached to the Ministry of Defense. There is also an eighth PRO, the IAC Consortium with a mixed ascription to the Canary Islands Government and Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness.

The scientific and technological capacities of these organisations, as well as their size and structure are very diverse. Their funding strongly depends on the public funds they receive through the State's General Budgets. However, these organisations and agencies also have great capacity and experience in attracting competitive public and private funds.

The roles that the Law of Science establishes for these organisations are the following:

To manage and execute the National and Sectoral Programmes assigned to them in the National and Regional Research Plans,

To develop the training programmes for researchers specified in the these plans,

To contribute to the definition of the objectives of the National Plan and collaborate in its evaluation and monitoring,

To give scientific advice to the organisations dependent on the Administration of the State or of the Autonomous Communities when requested,

Any other role that is entrusted to them by the competent Administration.

According to the Spanish Law of Science, Technology and Innovation (2011), State Research Centres attached to the Central Government (such as PRO), as well as other Regional Government Research Bodies, and state universities can offer three types of researcher-specific employment contracts when receiving public funds for the recruitment of researchers: Predoctoral contract, Contract for accessing the Spanish Science, Technology and Innovation System and Distinguished researcher contract. Learn more about them in section "Researcher career stages".

The consolidation of a career in research, implying a sequenced series of promotion opportunities and prospects for professional advancement, in accordance with the principles of transparency, equality, merit and skill, is achieved in public institutions (universities and research centres) in Spain by gaining access to the civil service linked to research.

Public employment is open to Spanish researchers, foreign researchers legally residing in Spain and also foreigners under the umbrella of International Treaties signed by the European Union and ratified by Spain allowing the free movement of workers.

Civil servant research staff working for Public Research Centres (PRO and universities) reporting to the Central Government, are divided into the following scientific categories, all of which have full research authority:

Research Lecturers of Public Research Centres,

Scientific Researchers of Public Research Centres,

Head Scientists of Public Research Centres.

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Publications

Public Research Organisations (PRO or OPIs for its initials in Spanish) are national and public research institutions that, together with universities, form the basic core of the Spanish public system of scientific research and technological development in Spain, since they carry out most of the activities programmed in the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation.This document compiles information relative to OPIs with their recruitment opportunities for researchers during last quarter of 2018 and 2019.

Publication date: June 2018

Public Research Organisations (PRO or OPIs for its initials in Spanish) are national and public research institutions that, together with universities, form the basic core of the Spanish public system of scientific research and technological development in Spain, since they carry out most of the activities programmed in the National Plan for Scientific Research, Development and Technological Innovation.This document compiles information relative to OPIs with their recruitment opportunities for researchers during last quarter of 2017 and 2018.